The Bat

I was reading about rationalism,
the kind of thing we do up north
in early winter, when the sun
leaves work for the day at 4:15.

Maybe the world is intelligible
to the rational mind;
and

maybe we light the lamps at dusk
for nothing...

Then I heard wings overhead.

The cats and I chased the bat
in circles-- living room, kitchen,
pantry, kitchen, living room...
At every turn it evaded us

like the identity of the third person
of the Trinity: the one
who spoke through the prophets,
the one who astounded Mary
by suddenly coming near.

--Jane Kenyon (1947-1995), American poet and translator, from Collected Poems, 2005